Black poop

[Hopeful homesteader]

I just saw a black runny poop in the run, not sure which chicken it came from but there are no behavioral changes and eating/drinking is normal. They only eat grower/starter crumbles with oyster shell on the side, no treats recently. Is this a sign of illness?

 

[Hopeful homesteader]

I was out looking for things they may have ate and found a piece of what looks like charred wood in their dust bathing spot, when scooping the sand out there's a few black streaks in the ground so I assume previous residents used this spot as a fire pit. Will eating that hurt them?

 

[All4Eggz]

@Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock

 

[Aunt Angus]

Those poops look like cecal poops, but they could very well be from eating that wood. I really don't think it would hurt them. Many people use wood shavings or wood chips on their runs with no ill effects. Unless it's like hemlock or something...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I agree, those look like Cecal poops.
If they have been eating charred wood - that will turn the poop black

If it was a fire pit and it was just natural wood (untreated) that was burned, it should be fine for them to eat some bits and pieces.
I put ash/charred bits of wood from my wood stove in the runs and at other areas where my birds range. I usually mix it into the dirt slightly, but they love digging up bits and eating it, dust bathing, etc. Poop will be black - I've never had any issues, but I know all the ash is from untreated wood mostly from my own property that we have harvested ourselves.